One sip of Vino
by maruluna
Summary: “So will you do it?” Van asked as Allen blinked in surprise. “Will you be my best man?” Allen gasped at the end Van’s request. It’s as if the news that Van and Hitomi were getting married wasn’t surprising enough. A ONE SHOT fic about Allen's unspoken lov


**One sip of Vino**

By: Maru

Dedicated to Nicole

Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own Escaflowne… La tear>>

A/n: Okay…. So this is my first one shot ever… reviews are welcome. I've been writing this for about a year and a half… well I wrote like half of it last year then gave up on it and eventually forgot about it… but started it again for a friend of mine. Oh and just a note before you read on… Anything in _Italics_ is thought.>>

**OoOoOoO**

"So will you do it?" Van asked as Allen blinked in surprise. "Will you be my best man?"

Allen gasped at the end Van's request. It's as if the news that Van and Hitomi were getting married wasn't surprising enough. Allen sat up in his chair as he thought about his past adventures with the dragon and the alluring girl from the Mystic Moon. It had been about one to two years since Hitomi came back to Gaea – for good. She had decided that her place was here on Gaea…. But not with Allen, instead with Van.

Even after the Great War and Hitomi's departure from Gaea Allen still held those feelings for her. He could never understand why, even when he observed the blossoming of Van and Hitomi's love and even after Millerna's confession of undying love to him. There was just something about Hitomi that kept him drawn to her, something that made him want to hold her even if that meant betraying his companion who now trusted him enough to ask him to be his best man. But Allen was always in control and found a way to hold his composure every time – plainly put it meant avoiding the happy couple. But that was always difficult nowadays seeing as Allen was given the title of Asturian ambassador in Fanelia.

"Allen?" Van asked anxiously.

"Of course I will." Allen looked up at Van as he agreed. Allen chuckled silently inside. Hitomi had definitely softened Van up. Had this been two years ago Van would never have came to Allen directly to ask him something like this. Van was much too stubborn before Hitomi had got to him… But then again Hitomi would bring the best out of anyone.

"I'll see you tonight then… at dinner, our banquet, we'll be breaking the good news." Van stood up from his seat and made his way towards the door but not before turning around. He leaned on the doorframe and without making eye contact said, "Thank you, Allen, I could not find another more suitable to be my best man." He then shut the door to the study and parted.

Allen rested his head in his hands. It seemed as if the weight of his strain could break through his strongly crafted wooden desk on which his elbow was placed.

"Why did I let her go?" Allen whispered silently to no one in particular. Everyone knew he could have any woman on Gaea but Hitomi had slipped through his fingers like grains of sand on the beautiful Asturian beaches – Oh how he missed those beaches. He remembered bringing Hitomi there once on one of his days off a long time ago. Van had been occupied with council meetings, Merle had decided that she needed to see more of the world and went off traveling and Millerna was on her honeymoon with Dryden. So it was just him and Hitomi – the perfect day.

Allen smiled as he recalled his day in the sands of the Asturian beaches with the captivating goddess from the Mystic Moon. They had arrived there by way of carriage and it was a long bumpy ride but filled with joyful conversations between the two. The beach, that day, was basking in the sunlight. Hitomi was absolutely breath taking. Her skin glowed with the sunlight, her honey brown hair which had grown to just below her chin was looking as soft and full as the clouds on a stormy day, Hitomi's figure which she had grown into quite well over the past year was accentuated in the lovely yellow sundress that she sported that day. But what was most infectious were her eyes – her beautiful emerald eyes that sparkled like the stars at night. It was those eyes that Allen found himself drowning in. It was those eyes that he couldn't pull away from. That day they had bathed in the sun, shared stories in the sand, splashed around a little in the water and Hitomi, being the spontaneous person she is, even surprised him with a wonderfully packed picnic dinner. They sat on their towels and ate together as the sun set. They road back to Fanelia in the comfort of their carriage. On the way back Hitomi had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Allen could do nothing but watch her. It was as if she was so fragile that his touch could break her apart. That night had ended like any normal night. They said their farewells and departed form each other's company.

"I can't stand this." Allen groaned as he stood up and stretched. "I have to occupy myself. Get my mind off of things." Allen began pacing… in hope that his consistent marching might show him an answer. He scanned his eyes around his study and their lying forgotten on one of his lush leather couches was his sword.

"Spar!" He thought excitedly as he ran his fingers through his long blond hair. There was nothing better for a swordsman to do than spar. It would take his mind off this romantic relationship trouble and back on track. Allen had been struggling for a while now on his relationships; ever since the Great War ended Allen had nothing to preoccupy his mind with so often it would stray back to his depressing love life. Sparring merely seemed so tempting to him at the moment.

**OoOoOoO**

"You aren't charging aggressively enough!" Celena snarled at Allen as she pointed the tip of her sword to the flesh of Allen's pale neck. That was an expression he heard all too often but never directed at him instead he was usually the one shouting it out at some amateur. He had made it to the training grounds situated on the castle acreage only to find his sister, Celena, training before him. The former Knight of Caeli had been easily and promptly defeated by his younger sibling, which was a very odd sight to see. Allen had been observing his sister train by ways of the sword for many days now which seemed very logical seeing that she spent the majority of her life as the leader of Dragonslayers, Dilandau Albatou. It was only natural for her to have a sword clenched in her hands.

"I must be getting too old for this…" Allen whispered in the wind softly enough that not even Celena, who was inches from him, could hear. He directed his eyes from hers around the grounds and there standing on the balcony to the King's main study over looking the training grounds was the captivating divinity herself, Hitomi. She stood there adorned in a beautiful day gown that played about in the wind.

"Allen? We should continue this some other time. You seem to be a little too distracted." Celena suggested pulling her sword away from his neck.

Allen stood up straight and dusted his shoulders while fixing his collar and sheathing his sword. Breathing in rapidly to take in the oxygen he lost when sparring, Allen took one last glance at Hitomi's sun bathed figure on the balcony. She stood there for a while, her hair playing in the wind. From Allen's vantage point one would think she looked a little melancholy that is until her fiancée, the one and only, King of Fanelia stepped out to join her. She seems to instantaneously brighten up when he arrives. Van had embraced her softly from behind and rested his head on her shoulder whispering sweet nothings in her ear. They held hands and together stood alone on their pedestal as if teasing Allen. Those two together were definitely a sight to see, like straight out of a romantic painting displayed in a honeymoon suite.

'_That's one lucky bastard._' Allen thought, truly less hateful towards Van but more toward his own lack of a true relationship.

"You know…" Celena brought Allen out of his reverie. She had noticed his gaze towards the two lovers. "They truly do make a lovely couple."

Allen could do nothing but smile at his sister's naïve statement. She could never truly know the feelings he had for Hitomi, the burning feelings which were building up pressure inside him.

"You know brother…" Celena started, cupping Allen's chin with her hand so that his eyes would meet hers. "Happiness is a virtue. If you love someone, you want them to have the best. If you love someone, you should want them to be happy, even if it means you must make some sacrifices."

Allen looked at her strangely. His sister may have the fighting skills of a battle-hardened warrior but she had the personality of a soft, kind hearted and wise one.

"Celena, you don-" Allen started but his mouth was covered by Celena's hand.

"Allen, why can't you see? Hitomi is happy! Don't you want her to be?" Celena's eyes begin to water. "If you truly do love her, let her be happy… with Van."

"Celena…" Allen stared at the floor in shame as he hugged his sister tightly while she wept on his shirt. She was right and Allen knew it. He told himself repeatedly that he mustn't be so selfish as to linger on that subject after all Hitomi's happiness was important to him.

"Allen, brother…" Celena looked up at him after breaking from his embrace. "I hope one day soon you'll find that someone… just for you. I want to see you smile like you once used to."

**OoOoOoO**

Allen slouched miserably over the railing on the ballroom's outside balcony. His elbows placed on the railing supported his weight as his fingers twirled vino in a glass which he has been slowly sipping since the beginning of the banquet. All efforts of dwelling at the celebration and pretending to be content were lost once he stepped into the ballroom. Upon entering the ballroom, Allen had taken notice of all the happy couples and the sting of loneliness had emerged. Having said his greetings and congratulations, Allen quickly made his way outside to drown his sorrows in glass of wine.

"There truly is no place for a lonely man." He thought after spotting a couple embracing in the moonlight. Allen longed for someone to hold, someone whose warm embrace would envelope him. Someone who he could share his feelings with. Someone like Hitomi.

"Allen? Are you okay?" Hitomi asked softly. Her angelic voice resonated in his ears causing him to slowly turn his head in her direction. She stood there in perfection, as always, adorned with a royal Fanelian gown. Her splendor accentuated by the way the fabric of her gown draped over her body. She smiled tenderly towards him, brightening up her already too gorgeous eyes. All he wanted was to take her away in his strong embracing arms.

"Some would call this love… to me its torture." Allen thought skimming his eyes over Hitomi. She was his untouchable jaw-dropping angel.

"Allen? Are you okay?" She asked softly as she joined Allen on the balcony. Their elbows softly grazed each other as she rested her weight on the railing. "You seem so distant lately? Are you… feeling alright?"

Hitomi tried her best to act naïve. But she already had an idea of what was troubling him. She knew all along; ever since he took hold of her on that bridge that rainy day. When their rain soaked bodies touched and their lips met it felt much more than just Zaibachian treachery. The feelings of Allen's longing were only proven not much longer after when he proposed to her. But Hitomi's feelings weren't easily transferred back. The day he had hoped for an answer to his proposal was the day she decided to flee home and now she was engaged to Van; the King of Fanelia; his best friend.

"I'm fine." He breathed; neither awake nor asleep. "I've been just tired as of late."

He could not bring himself to face her. His eyes kept glued to the floor as if his heavy emotions strained on his shoulders.

"I'm glad." She inhaled; while smiling sweetly. "I'm glad to hear that from you. I wasn't sure, you know." She laughed a little bit as Allen raised an eyebrow in her direction. "I've been so nervous to talk to you. Maybe even more tense then I was announcing the engagement. I've avoided our encounters and I can't even understand why. I can't explain… I …I…"

A much unexpected dialogue, thought Allen as he noticed her eyes begin to water. "No…" He began as caressed the tears off her cheek with his free hand. "You mustn't cry it's not a nice look for a bride to be."

Hitomi took his hand into hers as she sighed inwards. "I'm so nervous Allen, when I look at Van I know that I'm in love with him but I feel so tense. When I remember what we used to share together, sometimes my mind begins to run rampant."

'_Stay cool.'_ Allen repeated to only himself. '_Don't open your heart to her she might just end up as pathetic as you.'_ He thought as Hitomi spilt her heart out to him. He stood there coolly as he drank in her emotions. He felt himself holding in every emotion he had for her. For if he had slipped up, Hitomi's whole world would have crumbled underneath her. He didn't want her to end up like him; always emotionally distraught.

"Hitomi you're just getting cold feet." He said quietly as he gently ushered her back inside. "You can't tell me that you're nervous to marry the love of your life." His hand guided her eyes towards her King and fiancée, Van. "What we had was special, but it is nothing to what your heart holds for Van."

He spun her in a waltz fashion towards the dance floor, "You might want to join your love before the last waltz begins or the court may start rumors." He chuckled outward.

'_Stay cold.'_ Allen repeated inwardly to himself. _'Don't open your heart. Don't give her that opening. She'll begin doubting her relationship with Van, the court will begin gossiping and you're going to ruin her life.'_

A hidden tear rolls down Hitomi's cheek as she quietly whispers to Allen, "Did you not feel anything from what we use to have? Was I nothing but a play toy to you?" Her body is turned away from Allen in such a way that he can't read the expressions on her torn face.

"I…" Allen started.

'_No! Stay cold.'_ Allen's pride stopped him short of grabbing hold of Hitomi and consoling her. She walked away slowly towards the dance floor; letting the solitary tear evaporate from her cheek.

Allen somberly walked in the opposite direction, down the outside staircase and out towards the garden.

"Why?" Allen asked aggressively to no one in particular as he punched the stone wall that encircled the garden. _'I'm protecting her… but it hurts so much. This is for the best. I have to move on._' His body slowly gave way and he slid himself down so he could sit his back up against the wall. Noticing the vino glass he still held in his hand, he sipped whatever was left and threw the glass away.

"Thirsty?" A considerate Celena approached him slowly with a full bottle of vino she was sipping on. She brushed the hair from Allen's solemn face as she passed him the bottle and he gulped it down. "You feeling okay?" She sat next to him and let him rest his tired head on her shoulder.

"I will feel great as soon as the vino sets in…"

The End.

A/n: I hope you enjoyed it... Ja.>>


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